Table 1 Core evaluation criteria

Structure

 1. CEC is established within first 6 months and operative at end of study period

 2. The CEC receives adequate support from municipality leadership: formal support, funding, time for CEC members to participate

 3. Key groups are represented as CEC members: doctor, nurse, professional actively involved in clinical work, layperson

 4. All stakeholders (professionals, managers, patients, next of kin) have formal and practical access to the CEC

Process

 5. At least 6 CEC meetings yearly in study period

 6. At least 3 visits to services in study period

 7. Patient and/or next of kin have been invited to participate in at least two of the case discussions

 8. All case deliberations from final 12 months have been documented in writing

 9. Routines for handling ethics cases have been established

 10. Patient or surrogate consent is sought whenever their case is discussed in the CEC

Outcome

 11. Having received and deliberated on at least 2 ethics cases from the services within final 12 months

 12. Having held at least one ethics seminar for professionals within final 12 months

 13. Having made a plan within the first 12 months for making the CEC known in the services, and having executed the plan within the study period

 14. CEC case deliberation making a difference for practice and for stakeholders, according to stakeholders themselves (professionals, managers, patients, next of kin)

In addition, other potentially important outcomes should be defined in the course of the project in cooperation with stakeholders.